Coupler for coupling two containers stacked on top of one another, especially aboard a ship

Abstract

The invention relates to a coupler for coupling two containers stacked on top of one another, especially aboard a ship, which has an upper coupling projection ( 10 ) engaging in a bottom corner fitting of the upper container and a lower coupling projection ( 11 ) engaging in a top corner fitting of the lower container, which coupling projection has in longitudinal direction of the containers a lateral coupling lug ( 22 ) and a vertical back wall ( 21 ), which is mounted on the side of the lower coupling projection ( 11 ) facing away from the coupling lug ( 22 ) in such a way that the space (b) between a free edge ( 25 ) of the coupling lug ( 22 ) and the back wall ( 21 ) is smaller than or equal to the width of an upper slotted hole in the top corner fitting. To securely couple two containers stacked on top of one another even when outrightly exposed to tractive forces, the invention-based coupler is characterized in that the lower coupling projection ( 11 ) in the back wall ( 21 ) has a recess ( 26 ) which extends in slot-like manner across the entire length of the lower coupling projection ( 11 ).

1 . A coupler for coupling two containers stacked on top of one another, especially aboard a ship, which has an upper coupling projection ( 10 ) engaging in a bottom corner fitting of the upper container and a lower coupling projection ( 11 ) engaging in a top corner fitting of the lower container, which coupling projection has a shaft ( 17 ) with a front wall ( 18 ), a lateral coupling lug ( 22 ) arranged in longitudinal direction of the containers, and a vertical back wall ( 21 ), which is mounted on the side of the lower coupling projection ( 11 ) facing away from the coupling lug ( 22 ) in such a way that the space (b) between a free edge ( 25 ) of the coupling lug ( 22 ) and the back wall ( 21 ) is smaller than or equal to the width of an upper slotted hole in the top corner fitting, wherein the shaft ( 17 ) on the side opposite of the front wall ( 18 ) has an inclined insertion surface ( 19 ), characterized in that the lower coupling projection ( 11 ) in the back wall ( 21 ) has a recess ( 26 ) which extends in slot-like manner across the entire length of the lower coupling projection ( 11 ). 
     
     
         2 . A coupler according to  claim 1 , characterized in that a further lug ( 32 ) has been arranged on a side of the recess ( 26 ) facing away from the upper coupling projection ( 10 ), which further lug has an upper shoulder ( 29 ) that is inclined to the outside. 
     
     
         3 . A coupling projection according to  claim 2 , characterized in that the angle (α 29 ) of the shoulder ( 29 ) of the lug ( 32 ) in relation to the back wall ( 21 ) is larger than or equal to an angle (α 23 ) of an inclined upper shoulder ( 23 ) of the coupling lug ( 22 ) in relation to a front wall ( 18 ) of the lower coupling projection ( 11 ). 
     
     
         4 . A coupler according to  claim 2 , characterized in that the shoulder ( 29 ) of the lug ( 32 ) is aligned with an inside surface ( 30 ) of a grip recess ( 31 ) in the lower coupling projection ( 11 ). 
     
     
         5 . A coupler according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the recess ( 26 ) on a side facing the upper coupling projection ( 11 ) is restricted by an inclined insertion surface ( 28 ). 
     
     
         6 . A coupler according to  claim 3 , characterized in that the shoulder ( 29 ) of the lug ( 32 ) is aligned with an inside surface ( 30 ) of a grip recess ( 31 ) in the lower coupling projection ( 11 ). 
     
     
         7 . A coupler according to  claim 2 , characterized in that the recess ( 26 ) on a side facing the upper coupling projection ( 11 ) is restricted by an inclined insertion surface ( 28 ). 
     
     
         8 . A coupler according to  claim 3 , characterized in that the recess ( 26 ) on a side facing the upper coupling projection ( 11 ) is restricted by an inclined insertion surface ( 28 ). 
     
     
         9 . A coupler according to  claim 4 , characterized in that the recess ( 26 ) on a side facing the upper coupling projection ( 11 ) is restricted by an inclined insertion surface ( 28 ). 
     
     
         10 . A coupler according to  claim 6 , characterized in that the recess ( 26 ) on a side facing the upper coupling projection ( 11 ) is restricted by an inclined insertion surface ( 28 ).